Why does wildfire smoke cause more flight delays than rain or fog?
Water droplets from rain and fog don’t typically impact navigation systems, but solid particles, such as smoke and ash, can cause the systems to be less effective.
Pilot shows reduced visibility at New York airport amid ongoing wildfire smoke crisis
A pilot who was due to fly out of New York’s LaGuardia Airport on June 7 recorded video showing the surreal orange haze encompassing the facility.
When wildfires pump smoke into the air, air traffic controllers are more likely to keep flights on the ground than they would during rainy or foggy conditions.
While both the moisture from rain and fog and the smoke from wildfires can lead to reduced visibility – and thusly, flight delays – smoke can pose a greater danger.
This is due to the navigation systems pilots and air traffic controllers depend on, according to Kevin Morris with the Federal Aviation Administration.
A Delta Airbus A320 airplane takes off from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on June 8, 2023, as smoke from wildfires in Canada blankets the area.
(SAUL LOEB / AFP / Getty Images)
These systems are located in the aircraft and on the ground and are particularly helpful during low visibility conditions, such as those caused by rain and fog.
CANADIAN WILDFIRE SMOKE CAUSING AIR TRAVEL DELAYS, CANCELATIONS ACROSS US
Water droplets from rain and fog don’t typically impact the navigation systems, but solid particles, such as smoke and ash, can cause the navigation systems to be less effective. Because of this, air traffic controllers and pilots need to take additional safety precautions.
A Delta Airbus A321 airplane takes off into a smoke haze from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, June 8, 2023, as smoke from wildfires in Canada blankets the area.
(SAUL LOEB / AFP / Getty Images)
"This includes greater distances between arriving and departing aircraft, as well as limiting the types of aircraft they may land based on their navigation equipment," Morris said.
He added that since smoke can linger longer than fog or rain, the FAA may slow traffic to keep the airspace safe.
Many Americans have recently experienced flight delays due to wildfire smoke in Canada moving into the eastern U.S.